For women navigating perimenopause and menopause, hot flashes rarely wait for a convenient moment. In the heat of a New York summer, they can feel relentless: the sudden warmth on a subway platform, the flush in the middle of a meeting, the wave that arrives out of nowhere.
“During this natural stage of life, declining estrogen levels make the body’s temperature-regulating center—the hypothalamus—more sensitive to even small changes in temperature. As outdoor temperatures rise, the hypothalamus can overreact, leading to more frequent and severe hot flashes,” says Rachel Kassenoff, MD, Assistant Professor, Raquel and Jaime Gilinski Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a leading expert in perimenopause and menopause at the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness at Mount Sinai.
The encouraging news: relief is real, and it starts with strategies you can use today. Every woman’s hot flashes have their own pattern, so the first step is learning yours.
Rachel Kassenoff, MD
Learn Your Triggers and Take a Proactive Approach
Caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods are among the most common culprits. Alcohol and spicy foods can widen blood vessels and create a quick burst of internal heat, and many women find caffeine sets off flashes too. Stress is another powerful trigger, and women who smoke tend to have more frequent and more severe hot flashes.
Try keeping a simple symptom journal for two weeks. Note what you ate and drank, your stress level, and what you were doing when a hot flash hit. Many women spot a pattern within those two weeks, and once you can see it, you can plan around it.
Dress for the Season
Choose lightweight, loose clothing in breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen, or bamboo to allow air to circulate and moisture to evaporate. This prevents overheating and sweating. Dress in layers so you can remove a layer when a hot flash kicks in.
Hydrate!
Sipping ice water throughout the day helps you stay cool and can take the edge off a hot flash in progress. But when you sweat heavily, water alone does not replace the sodium and other minerals you lose. On hot days, coconut water, a low-sugar electrolyte drink, or water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, and celery help you stay ahead of dehydration.
Beat the Heat
Avoid afternoon sun. If you’re outdoors, stay in the shade and use sunscreen. Limit your exposure to the direct sun to prevent overheating and hot flashes. Keep your home cool with air conditioning or fans and close blinds during peak sunlight hours.
Protect Your Sleep
Night sweats can turn summer nights into a struggle. Keep your bedroom cool, choose lightweight, breathable bedding, and skip alcohol and caffeine in the hours before bed. A consistent bedtime and a genuine wind-down, even ten quiet minutes with a book or some deep breathing, help your body recover when sleep is interrupted.
You Don’t Have to “Just Live With It”
“At the Rowan Women’s Health Center, we understand the frustration of hot flashes especially during the hotter months,” Dr. Kassenoff says. “Take proactive steps to find cool, calm relief, and enjoy your summer.”
And if hot flashes are disrupting your days or your sleep, lifestyle strategies are only one layer of relief. Menopausal hormone therapy and non-hormonal agents can be very effective in battling these disruptive symptoms. At the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women’s Health and Wellness at Mount Sinai, you will find care that sees the whole you, personalized for every stage of midlife.